Dental surveying instrument



-1 v .Jl RINGLE HAL 2,456 4 7 DENTAL SURVEYING INSTRUMENT Filed NOV. 2,1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l @f Z o 50 35 {I Q q 5 I INVENTORS, M .Z...) a,

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Patented Dec. 14, 1948 DENTAL SURVEYING INSTRUMENT Charles J. Ringle andRoy w. Smith, Buifalo, N. Y., assignors to Williams Gold RefiningCompany, Inc., a corporation of New York Application November 2, 1945,Serial No. 626,327

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dentalsurveying instruments of the type shown in United States Patent No.2,376,384, dated May 22, 1945.

One of its objects is to provide a dental instrument of this characterhaving a universallytiltable, model-supporting table having means foradjusting and indicating its degree of tilt in any direction, and to somount the table and its actuating means as to effectually compensate forthe gearing as Well as for wear of the parts during use.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the surveying instrument embodying ourinvention. Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged cross-sections thereof takensubstantially in the planes of the correspondingly numbered lines inFigure 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially in theplane of line l4, Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The numeral lfl indicating the base or platform on which the variousworking parts of the surveyor are mounted, is smoothly machined in ahorizontal plane on its top side to provide a support for the surveyingmechanism, indicated generally by the numeral ll. Rising from this baseat one side thereof is a post or standard !2 on which is mounted avertically-jointed, tool-carrying arm [3 onwhich the various tools usedin surveying dentures are adapted to be detachably mounted.

Mounted on the top side of the base ID to be rotated thereon at will, orto be clamped in a fixed position thereto, is the casing [4 of thesurveying mechanism which carries a universallymovable working table l5for supporting the model it to be surveyed. Clamping screws I! fittedinto the base Ill and engaging the flanged bottom of the casing serve todetachably secure the latter to the base. The casing is cylindrical inshape and the working table l5 surmount-s the same for tilting movementin any direction to the horizontal. By preference, a removable workingplate I8 is applied to the top side of the table and the model I6 isanchored thereto. This working plate is centered and held againstlateral displacement on the table by means of pins l9 and a cam lever 20rising 2 Claims. (Cl. 3232) from the latter and engaging companionopenings in the plate.

The means for eifecting the universal adjustment of the tiltable tablel5 for surveying purposes is preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral 2| indicates a shiftable yoke which is fastened at its lowerend on a horizontal pivot shaft 22 extending diametrically across andjournaled in the lower portion of the casing l4, while its upper endterminates in bifurcated arms 23 in which is journaled a horizontalshaft 24 disposed at right angles to the pivot-shaft 22. Depending fromthe working table are spaced arms 25 which are connected to the oppositeends of the shaft 24, so that when the latter is turned in one directionor the other, the working table is correspondingly tilted in anteriorand posterior directions. This yoke is provided between its pivotedlower end and its bifurcated upper portion with a bear-ing or bracketportion 26 disposed parallel to the pivot-shaft 22 and in which isjournaled an actuating shaft having a worm 28 thereon meshing with aworm wheel sector 29 pinned on the shaft 24. At its outer end the shaft21 is provided with an actuating knob 30 for turning it and the wormgears to tilt the working table in anterior and posterior directions.The tilting movement of the working table in the opposite direction,that is its socalled minus and plus movement, is controlled by anactuating shaft 3| disposed at right angles to the companion actuatingshaft 2? and extending through a bearing bracket 32 in the casing andhaving a worm 33 mounted thereon engaging a worm wheel sector 34 fixedon the yokepivoting shaft 22. At its outer end the shaft 3! is providedwith an actuating knob 35 for turning it and the corresponding wormgears to tilt the working table in a lateral or minus-plus direction.Suitable indicators are provided for registering the degree of anteriorand posterior tilt as well as the minus-plus tilt of the working table.For registering the anterior and posterior tilt a graduated scale 36 isapplied to one side of the working table and cooperating therewith is astationary pointer 31 fixed to the side of the adjoining yoke-arm 23, sothat as the table is manipulated in its anterior and posterior movementsby the actuating knob 30, the scale 36 is tilted with it relative to thepointer. For registering the minus-plus tilt the casing it is providedwith a graduated scale 38 disposed above the axis of the actuating shaft2'! and cooperating therewith is a stationary pointer 39 applied to theadjoining end of the bearing portion 26 wear of the rotating parts, theknob-actuated shafts 21 and 3! are preferably mounted as follows, and inthis connection each mounting is the same and a descriptionrof onewill-sufficefor both:

Each of the actuated shafts 27, 31* extends freely or in spaced relationthrough its. companion.

bearing bracket 25, 32 and appliedto the front end of each shaft betweenthe actuating knob' thereof and the opposing end of the bracket is abearing collar 40 having an inwardly-extending sleeve 4'! which fitsfreely within the bore 42 ofsuch bracket. This collar is free to permita limited angular displacement of the shaft in the bracket bearing. andaradially-disposed spring 43 housed in-a hollow fitting 44 mounted onthe bearing bracket and bearing; atits inner end against thecollar-sleeve 4|, serves to normally urgethe: Worm 28 or '33 into"proper mesh with thercompanionvwormiwheel-sector 25 or 34; Applied toeach. of theshafts 2:1, 31- between said collar. andthe worm gear 28 or3'3 is a swivel bearing 65 which constitutes a fulcrum' for the angulardisplacement of; each shaft and bears on the inner. end of thebracket-borefl, the latter converging at such inner end. to form .a'stop 46 against which theswivelbearing is adapted toabut. A coil spring41 is applied to each shaft and bears at one end against thecollar-sleeve M and at its other end against the swivel bearing 45'thereby stabilizing the: position of these parts by constantly urgingthe swiveLbearing'im Wardly againstthe stop: 46 and each shaft togetherwith its worm in the opposite direction or outwardly torbringjsuch worminto proper and positive mesh with the companion worm wheel 2901*3;

By mounting theiknob-actuated shaftsin this manner, they are permitted:a yieldingly re.-

strained angular displacement and a relative axial displacement: so astor at all times assure proper meshing" of. the: gears: and" accurateadjustment of the table to thextilt'ed' positions desiredwithoutobjectionable lost motionr Furthermore, as the" parts wear fromcontinued use, they are. automatically adjustable; through the medium ofthe springs fi3 andand the swivel bearings 48-, to compensate for suchwear.

We claim as our invention:

1. A dental instrument of the character described, comprising asupporting member, a table surmounting the same for tilting movement, abearing bracket having a longitudinal bore therein converging inwardlyat one end thereof, a bearing sleeveextending loosely into one end ofsaid b'oreg anraxially-displaceable swivel bearing in the oppositeconverging end thereof, a shaft extending through and journaled in saidbearing sleeve and said swivel bearing, gearing between the shaft-and:the table for tilting the latter in response to the actuation of saidshaft, the shaftgear' being, mounted on the extended end of the shaftbeyond the. swivel bearing and abutting at its other end against theopposing end of the bearingbracke't; and a spring applied to said abearing sleeve extending loosely into one end of'said bore, anaxiallydisplaceable swivel bearing; in the opposite converging end thereof, ashaft extending through and journaledin said bearing sleeve and saidswivel bearing, said shaft having anactuating, knob at its outer end andsaid sleeve having a collar at itsouter end interposed between saidshaft-knob'and the opposing end of said bracket, gearing between theshaft and the table for tilting the latter in response to the actuationof said shaft, the shaft-gear being mounted on the extended end of theshaft beyond the swivel bea-ring and abutting at its other endagainstthe opposing" end of the bearing bracket, a spring applied to-s aidshaft and interposed between s'a-idRsle'eve and said swivel bearing, andyield'able means acting at right angles to-said shaft for constantlyurging it in one direction about the swivel'bearing.

CHARLES J. RINGLE. ROY SMITH.

nnncnnnons CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: i

s'ra'rns PATENTS Germ-any Mar. 17, 1922

